In a significant ceremony held at the offices of the Gulf Accreditation Centre (GAC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UKICB formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will enable mutual recognition of accreditation certificates between the two bodies.
Significance of the Agreement
The MoU represents a major step forward in establishing a unified conformity assessment infrastructure between the United Kingdom and the Gulf Cooperation Council member states. Under the agreement, organisations accredited by UKICB will have their certificates recognised by GAC, and vice versa — eliminating duplicative assessments for organisations that operate in both markets.
Areas of Cooperation
The agreement covers mutual recognition in the following accreditation scopes:
- Testing and calibration laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025)
- Management system certification bodies (ISO/IEC 17021-1)
- Inspection bodies (ISO/IEC 17020)
- Personnel certification bodies (ISO/IEC 17024)
Both organisations will also establish a joint technical committee to align assessment methodologies and share knowledge on emerging standards revisions.
Statements from Leadership
Speaking at the signing ceremony, UKICB Director General stated: "This MoU with the Gulf Accreditation Centre represents a shared commitment to international quality infrastructure. Together, we will serve our member organisations with greater efficiency and open doors for trade between the UK and GCC nations."
The GAC Director echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of mutual trust in accreditation as the foundation of cross-border commerce.
